Tank Reserve. Anyone actually know?

let me ask my sister in law,, she has the ability to not only run vehicles past "E" but due to the fact she has kids (safety issue) is still able to get people to come bring her gas. BTW: they have money,,, just no time or sense,,, give AF about anyone's time but her own.

 

the difference between tank capacity and what you put in the tank when you are at zero range is not always indicative of a reserve. I found that out the hard way when I ran my old Subaru WRX out of gas on a trip to San Diego from Vegas trying to get to a cheaper station. 16 gallon tank, put 1 gallon in from a can to get to the station and then the station pump only put 13.5 gallons in. there was a full gallon and a half of fuel in the tank that was unusable.

 

Most vehicles on the lot have minimal gas. I have had sales guys request that the test drive include a quick detour to the gas station so he could put in another gallon. I really hope you didn't fill it yourself or at least got compensated for the tank of gas that's supposed to be part of the purchase. No, a one-time sputter won't hurt the truck. Just don't run it low habitually, as it probably causes extra wear on the fuel pump.

It's fine. Enjoy the new ride.

 

I just don't see the need, short of some kind of extreme emergency, to push the gas level that low. Running a fuel injected system out of gas is rough on not only the fuel pump (or pumps, in some cases), but is not recommended for the good health of your injectors, either. I generally start looking at 1/4 tank remaining, and prioritize it on the rare occasions that my low fuel light comes on.
Knowing that there is still some gas left at that indicated level does offer a little piece of mind, but I have no desire to test how far, thank you.

 

We must be related. That’s my ex-wife.

 

Anytime I get between 1/4 and 1/2 I put gas in. Saw something rare today, the first number was a $3 so I put in $25 worth.
Haven't seen a $3 in a quite a spell.

 

I frequently see the "please refuel" message. I have a 4.5 mile commute and pass 6 gas stations on the way.

The fuel pump doesn't need a full tank to stay completely submerged to stay cooled. I've replaced fuel pumps that are easily accessible from the top of the tank.

 

Haven't noticed any threads / reference about this in a couple months of browsing.

Wouldn't be better to burn up the 1/4 tank rather than diluting it?

In the past (corolla) I have found the low fuel light sensible. Usually filled after it turned on, 10.5 gal fill on a 13.2 gal tank. All humans are constantly trying to balance limited resources with their (limited) productivity and power.

 

@faawrenchbndr what happens at the bottom of the fuel reservoirs of old airplanes and what is [industry]

 

If you MUST know:
Fill a five gallon gas can. Wait till the light comes on, reset your trip meter and run it out of gas.